Game



Oct. 24, 1939. nc. s. RAlzEN ET AL 2,177,078

GAME

Filed April 16, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l Charles S. Balzer; Mortimer Weisinger Oct. 24', 1939. C, s RMZEN ET AL' 2,177,078'

Oct. 24, 1939.v C. sb RAlZEN ET AL 2,177,078

GAME

Filed April 16, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet s llllilllllll'lllll fllllllllllllllllllN HHHQ lllllIllllllIllI-Tg!l aww? HHK

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l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l lllj lll-ll l l l l l l llllllw l l l l l l l l l 'llllllllllllllllllj INVENTORS Charles Eaz'zen BY Mor'meryefjsi'nger l ATTONEYS Patented oct. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ics 2.177.618 GAME Charles S. Raizen,

Mortimer Weisinge New Rochelle, N. Y., and

, North Bergen, N.

signora to Transogram Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation o! Pennsylvania 10 Claims.

This invention relates to games, and more particularly to a game which is played by the use of playing cards, a playing board, and other accessories, and which pertains to motion picture plays and the production and exhibition of the same.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a new and fascinating game which requires skill and judgment to play and win and which also has the element oi' chance as a predominating feature. y

Further objects and more specific details of this improved game are hereinafter fully brought out in the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a face view o! a playing board used in playing thegame and on which board there is shown resting thereon two playing discs which are used to designate the moves made on the said board by a player during the course of the game. Figures2 to 9, inclusive, show the face portions of one of the several series of playing cards used in playing the game.

Figures 10 to 17, inclusive, show the backs of a series of cardsused in playing the game.

Before describing the game in detail we will rst set forth a general description of the apparatus used in playing the game, and also an outline of the object of the game and the manner in which it is played.

In playing the game of our invention there is employed a deck of fifty-one playing cards. These cards are divided into seven groups, each group representing seven dierent types of motion picture plays. For example, there is a group of cards representing plays, such as musical, comedy, drama, romance, western, operetta and mystery plays. These groups ci cards have printed on the face portions thereof certain data and illustrations which pertain to the production of particular types of motion pictures. In addition to the seven groups of cards in the playing deck there are also two joker cards which may be used in connection withany group in lllng out a complete hand of seven cards.

The backs of each of the cards in the deck have printed thereon a certain number of stars. These stars indicate certain moves a player must make on a playing board which is supplied with the game. The moves made on the playing board are indicated by using marking discs, such y as the discs l and 2 shown resting on the playing board illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings.

For playing the game there is also provided a supply of paper playing money which is used by the players during the course of play in fulliing certain obligations incurred in their attempt to produce the motion picture of their selection. 5 'I'his playing money may consist or printed slips of papersimulating actual currency, or it may take the form of tokens having diilerent sums of money printed thereon. 'I'he playing money may be kept in a suitable box or receptacle which may l0 be made and designed to have the appearance of a miniature bank or theater box oilice. The bank receptacle and the playing money have not been illustrated in the drawings because it is believed to be obvious without illustration to indil5 Vcate the same thatthey may be of any suitable form or character. As a matter of fact, the bank receptacle may be dispensed with entirely and one of the players may act as the banker for the game and have charge of distributing and 2o taking in the money used in playing the game.

The object of the game is to have one of the players thereof ll his hand with a complete group of cards relating to a certain type of motion picture and to advance the production of g5 said picture to a completion by completing a re'-, quired number of moves made upon the pla board.

In starting to play the game the players are supplied with a predetermined sum of playing so money and then each player contributes back to the bank or banker equal amounts of the money previously given him. The cards are then shufiied and the deck, is placed in the center of the table and each player in succession proceeds to gg draw cards one at a time from the top of the deck until he .has obtained in his hand seven cards. As each card is drawn the player must makecertain moves on the playing board as de termined by the number of stars on the backs of the cards which he draws from the deck. These moves determine and designate certain penalties or gains which the player receives during the course of play. After the players have drawn, seven cards each, the drawing of further cards from the deck continues and the players may then keep a card so drawn if he discards one oi. the seven cards held in his hand. rPluis drawing and discarding of cards continues as the players endeavor to ll up their hands with a complete c@ set of cards for a particular type of motion picture.

Each player, as the playing of the game continues, advances the production of the type of motion picture he selects to produce until one Having made the above general statement relating to the game of our invention, we will now refer more particularly to the manner in which the game is played, in accordance with certain rules that have been devised and the manner in which the apparatus and equipment supplied with the game is used.

The game may be played by two to five players. Each player is provided with a playing board of the character illustrated in Figure 1. Each player is also provided with the two playing discs indicated at I and 2 in Figure 1. One of these discs may have the picture of a megaphone printed thereon and the other one the picture of a star. These playing discs are intended to be moved to certain positions on the playing board to mark the progress of the player in connection with his endeavors to complete the production of the motion picture he is attempting to complete.

The playing board has designated thereon, in the middle portion thereof, an area which for convenience is referred to as the Production area. This production area is provided with a consecutive series of playing spaces which are indicated generally by the numeral 3 and which are positioned with respect to each other so that they extend in a zigzag course through the production area. Each of said spaces has printed therein certain words which relate to steps that are taken in the production and exhibition of a motion picture play. For example, as is shown in the drawing of the playing board, thereappears in the lower left hand corner of the production area a space which contains the word Casting which is the first step to be taken in .connection with the production of a motion picture. Other steps in the production ofthe picture are indicated in the spaces which continue upwardly from the space designated Casting until the nal goal of exhibiting the picture in a prominent theatre or. studio is reached and which, in the drawings (Figure 1), is designated in the space numbered 4 as Colossal Studio- $200,000." This space represents the highest goal a player can reach in winning the game. However, as will be later explained, the player can also win the game is he succeeds in moving his playing disc to the spaces indicated at 5, 6 and 1 included in the production area..y

The playing board is marked o on the portions adjacent its edges with a series of equally sized spaces indicated generally at 8. These spaces are positioned so as to extend entirely around the outer portion of the surface of the board. lThis series of spaces, for convenience, is called the Critic circle. Each of these spaces has words printed therein which indicate some direction to the player or which state some penalty or gain for the player which must be taken icare of by him when his megaphone disc is moved to one of these spaces in the Critic circle. For example, it will be seen that the space indicated at 9 on the Critic circle of the board illustrated in Figure 1 has printed therein the words Your premiere on coast-to-coast radio hook-up-Receive $15,000. If a players megaphone disc 2 becomes positioned on said space 9, he would be entitled to receive from the bank or banker the sum of $15,000. In the case where the players megaphone disc becomes positioned on the space marked I0, and where the wording in said space reads Advance in production, pay $10,000", the player would have to pay to the bank or banker the sum of $10,000, but at the same time he would be entitled to advance his picture into production and move his star disc to the rst space in the production area marked Castingl In addition to the playing board and the discs i and 2, as above stated, there is provided .a deck of cards for carrying out the objects of the game. The deck consists of nity-one cards and said cards are divided into seven groups of seven cards each and each group relates to a certain type of motion picture.

In each group of cards there are provided four cards each of which has printed thereon the picture and name of actors and actresses who have gained reputations as stars in the particular type of play identified by that group. These cards are called Star cards. There is also a card in each group upon which is indicated thel picture and name of a director who is known for his ability in directing a play of that particular type. These cards are called Director cards. Another card of each group is called the "Scenario card and has printed thereon ,a short synopsis of a motion picture play of the type identified by that particular group of cards. There are also provided seven cards, in the deck of cards, which are called Combination cards. On these Combination cards there appears the. name-of two particular types of motion picture plays and also the picture of an actor or actress who has been identified as a star in either type of play. Also, as above pointed out, there are also two cards called Jokers included in the deck of cards.

Examples of the appearance of the faces of a complete group of cards relating to a mystery play are illustrated in Figures 2 to 9 of the drawings. In Figure 2 there is shown the face ofv a scenario card, for the mystery group f cards. This card at the top thereof has the designation Mystery scenario" printed thereon which indicates that it is the scenario card for the mystery group. This card also has printed .thereon a brief outline of a scenario and in the upper left hand corner, as well asin the right hand lower corner, there is printed a symbol intended to represent the mystery group of cards and which consists of the picture of a dagger piercing a card. A symbol of this character appears in said corner portions of all the cards of the mystery group and the cards for the other groups of motion picture plays also have a particular appropriate symbol identifying the type of picture. In Figure 3 of the drawings there is shown the face portion of the Director card for the mystery group of cards. This card has the designation Mystery director printed at the top thereof and also has the picture and name of a motion picture director thereon.

In Figure 4 there is shown a Combination star card. This card can be used either with the group of cards relatingI to a mystery motion picture play or with the group of cards relating to a western play. To indicate thatthis card'`v can be used in either of the above mentioned groups the card has printedthereon at the top portion thereof the words Mystery western star.

This card also has two symbols thereon instead of one, indicatingby said symbols that the card can be used in connection with both groups of cards. The dagger symbol represents the mystery play group, whereas the picture of a cowboy is the symbol representing the western type of motion picture play.

In Figures 5, 6, '7 and 8 are shown the Star cards for the mystery series of cards. These cards have the words Mystery star\printed at the top thereof and also contain the pictures oi well known actors and actresses who have become identified with mystery plays.

In Figure 9 is.shown a Joker" playing the game. This card is printed with the word "Joker at the top thereof and has printed thereon the picture of a Jester. In the corners of the Joker cards there is illustrated a symbol consisting of a question mark within a square. There are two of these Joker" cards in the deck of cards( and their purpose and use will be explained more fully hereinafter.

In Figures 10 to 17 there are shown the backs of a series of the'cards used in the playing deck. Each of the cards has printed on the backs thereof a number of stars. For example, the card in Figure 10 is Shown with four starts printed thereon; the card in Figure 11 is shown with three card used in stars; and the card in Figure 14 is shown with one star. The purpose of these markings on the backs .of the cards will be explained more fully hereinafter.

It will be understood that each group of cardsl for the musical, comedy, drama, romance, western, operetta and mystery plays will have the same appropriate markings on the face of the cards'for its particular type of play as the markings indicated in the drawings for the mystery group of cards. Also each card of a particular group will have its identifying symbol printed at the top thereof. v

A detailed description of the manner in which the game is played will now be set forth:

The cards are shuilled and placed in the center Y of the playing table. Also in the center of the table is placed the bank or miniature box oice forming part of the game equipment.

As above referred to, each player is given a certain predetermined amount of play money to start play with. Then each player contributes to the. bank anequal amount of this play money.

The first player selects the top card from the deck. This card may have, for instance, two stars printed on the back thereof. The stars on the back of the card indicate that the player must move his megaphone disc 2, two spaces on the Critic circle" of his playing board, from the starting point indicated at Il. On this space where the disc is moved there may be printed the notation Actress loses contract by being overweight, so you lose $15,000. The player in view of this must pay'to the bank or box ofllce the sum of $15,000 of his play money. The player then retains this card in his hand concealing the face thereof from the'other players. On the face of this. card thus retained in the players hand there may appear, for instance, a notation that the card is one of the mystery play group of cards such as one of the cards indicated in Figures 2 to 9.

The second player then takes the next card from the top ofI the deck of cards and goes through the same procedure of play. This card may have five stars on the back thereof. Consequently this player moveshis megaphone disc 2, five spaces on the critic circle on his playing board. In this space there may be printed, for instance, the notation Star wants a raise in salary, so shell out $10,000. Therefore the second player will have to pay the bank or box oilice the sum of $10,000 from the paper playing money he holds. He then retains his card in his hand.

The next player may draw a card which indicates that he moves his megaphone disc 2, four spaces on the critic circle. In that space there may be printed the notation Advance in production, pay $10,000. In such case the player has to pay $10,000 to the bank or box oiiice but at the same time he is entitled to move his star disc into the first space marked Casting in the Production area of the playing board. This player also retains the card he drew in his hand.

The drawing of cards continues and moves are made by the players in accordance with the stars appearing on the back of the cards drawn until each player has seven cards in his hand. Then the first player draws his eighth card from the deck and lays the same face down on the table and makes the moves on the playing board as indicated by the number of stars on the back of the card. He then picks up th card and looks at the face thereof to see if he Wants to retain it in his hand. If he finds that the said card will fit in with the combination of cards he is endeavorlng to accumulate to get a winning hand, he discards one of and replaces it with the said eighth card drawn. If he does not want this eighth card he places it on the table face upward alongside his playing boa-rd.

The next player then draws his eighth card. This player can either take his eighth card from the pack or he can buy the last card which has been placed do-wn on the table by the preceding player. If he buys the card from the other player he pays to said player an amount in accordance with the number of stars on the back of the card.

Thisamount is xed by the rules of the game to be a certain sum per star appearing on the card.

The playing of the game continues, each player in turn taking 01T cards fro-m the deck or buying a card which has been discarded by another player, only it is specified in the rulesl that a player can only buy the last card inthe pile of discarded cards of another player. It is also one of the rules of the game that no player can buy back his own discard unless it is the top card of some other players discard.

As the game progresses, the playing discs on the production areas of the playing boards are also advanced and the play continues until one player completes a winning hand. If the deck of cards is exhausted before anyone wins the game, all the discards are collected and reshuifled and the drawing of cards continues from the reshuilie-d cards.

When a player has moved completely around the Critic circle on the outer edge of the playing board and has reached the point of beginning again, he continues moving right around said circle again, in a clockwise direction. If a player should happen to land with his megaphone disc in the circle marked Start during the progress of the game, and where there is no direction printed, he would automatically move one more space around the critic circle to a space where there was some direction indicated.

As above explained, one card in every series of cards is interchangeable. Such a card is indicated in Figure 4. This card may be used toward the production of either of the two types of plays indicated on the face of the card. In other words, if the card, such as is shownin Figure is card in order to complete a hand.

Director cards are also interchangeable. For instance, a card indicating a mystery director,

as shown in Figure 3, may be used in the production of the plays of any other kind.

In order to win the game a player must have in his hand seven cards, making up a series for a particular motion picture play. The scenario card must be' of the series of the type of play being produced. That is, if the player is producing. a western picture he must have a western scenario or a joker in lieu thereof. There is o nly one scenario card for each type of play.

The player can also only win the game if h star disc is in one of the four studios indicated in the Production area of the playing board at the time the player desiresto anounce a winning hand. If the hand is completed and the star disc is not in place in one of the spaces indicated in the Production area for a studio, then the player will have to maneuver in order to get his star token into such a studio space. The winning player receives all the money which is at that time in the bank or the box ofiice, plus a share from each player which amount is determined by the notation for thestudio space his star disc is in when he announces the completion of his hand. That is, if the player on winning has his star disc I positioned in the space designated Mammoth studlo he receives $50,000 from each player. If he finishes his game with 'his disc in the space marked Gigantic studio he receives $150.00, etc.

'Ihe amounts of money in the studio spaces are uniform on all the playing boards but they vary in the notations appearing in the spaces in the Critic circle" of said board.

In playing the game a player may obtain what is designated as a Double value hand. Since one card in each series is interchangeable, the said interchangeable card may be used in a hand winning double value only when the name of the particular type of play being produced by a player is uppermost on that interchangeable card. Thus, if a player has a true set of mystery play cards, one of his cards will read Mystery western (such as in Figure 4), and if the word Mystery and the mystery symbol is uppermost the card may be used in a hand winning double value. In such a double value hand the director must be a director of that particular type of play. Also no jokers are permitted ina double value hand.

Another feature of the game is that if a player should own a female star from every type of play, that is, an actress from comedy, romance, drama, etc., he has a winning hand. The player of course must finish in a studio space on the proproduction of a musical moving picture play. and also in the group for comedies, instead of having four actor star cards in the series of cards, together with the scenario, director and interchangeable cards, there is used only three star 5 actor cards, and in place of the fourth star actor card there is used a card marked Orchestra in the comedy group and Musical score" in' the musical group.

In the event that a player is unable to conlu ,tinue in the game vfor lack of money, he may raise additional funds in any or the following ways:

If the players star disc is in the Production area and has passed the space designated u Casting, the player may move his star disc back not more than three spaces and then he is allowed to draw a certain designated sum from the bank or box omce for every space he has moved backward. This may be done as 2( often as desirable in the game, but only when a player has no funds available.

If a player's disc is located at the space marked Casting in the production area he may borrow money from the bank or box oillce by 2g selecting any cardl from his hand and laying it face downward on the table before him and he may borrow a specified sum ofmoney from the bank or box omce for every star on the back of his card. This card may be removed from '34 invention is not confined to one relating to mo- 4| tion pictures but the same idea may be applied to a game concerning the production and exhibition of stage plays and also to radio broadcast program production.

Having thus described one illustrative embodi- 4l ment of the invention, we claim:

1. A game including the combination of a playing board having the face thereof provided with a plurality of playing areas thereon, markers for marking the extent of moves to be made 5| on said board, and a set of playing cards having data printed thereon which determine a winning hand when a completeset of said cards are heldk by a player and also data which designate moves to be made by said player on said playing l5` board.

2 A` game including the combination of a playing board having a series of playing spaces printed thereon, markers for marking the extent of moves to be made on said board, and a 6 set of playing cards having data printed thereon for determining a winning hand when a complete set of said cards is held by a player and also data for determining moves to be made by a player on said playing board.

3. A game including the combination of a playing board having a plurality of playing spaces arranged thereon, a plurality of markers to designatel the movesto be made by a player 7 on said playing board, and a set of playing cards having data printed on the faces thereofl which determine a winning'hand when a complete set of said cards is held by a player, said cards also having on the backs thereof data `for 7 indicating certain moves to be made by a player on said playing spaces on said playing board.

4. A game including the combination of a playing board having a plurality of sets of playing spaces thereon, markers for designating the moves made on said playing board, printed instructions in the spaces of one set of playing spaces on said playing 4board as to moves to be made by a player in the other set of spaces on said board, and a set of playing cards having data printed on the faces thereof which determine a winning hand when a complete set of said cards is held by a player and having data printed on the backs thereof which determine the extent of moves to be made on one of the sets of playing spaces on said board.

5. A game including the combination of a playing board having a plurality of sets of playying spaces marked thereon, markers for marking moves made on each of the plurality of sets of playing spaces, and directions printed in the spaces of one of the sets of playing spaces which determine the moves to be made on the other set of playing spacesl and also to indicate penalties and gains to be encountered by a player during the course of playing the game, and a set of cards divided into a plurality of groups, each group having data printed on the face thereof which relate to the subject matter of its particular group and having data printed upon the backs thereof which indicate certain moves a player must make on said playing board.

6. A game including the combination of a playing board having a series of marked spaces thereon which extend around the outer edge of the board, and having a central area also having a consecutive series of joined spaces marked thereon, markings on a plurality of the spaces which extend around the outer edge of the board which designate the moves to be made with respect to the spaces contained in the central area, and markings' on a plurality of spaces of the central area which determine the completion of the game, playing discs for determining the extent of moves made on both the outer series of marked spaces and on the spaces of the central area, a deck of playing cards divided into'a plurality of groups, each group pertaining to a certain subject matter and each card of each group having data printed on the face thereof which pertain to the subject matter of that group and having data printed on its back which determine a move a player must make with one of the playing discs with respect to the spaces arranged around the outer edge of the playing board, said deck of cards also including two joker cards which may be used in connection with any one of the plurality of groups in playing the game.

7. A game including the combination of a playing board having a series of marked spaces thereon which extend around the outer edge of the board, and having a central area also having a consecutive series of spaces marked thereon, certain of the said spaces which extend around the outer edge of the board containing printed data therein which determines moves to be made by a player of the game in the spaces of the central area and the other spaces containing printed data therein which determine penalties and gains which are encountered by a player during the playing of the game, and certain of said spaces in the central area having data therein designating the same as goals for winning the game,

marking discs for designating the moves made by a player in the series of spaces at the outer edge of the board and in the spaces contained in the central area, and a set of cards divided into a plurality of groups, each card of a particular group having data printed on the face thereof concerning the subject matter of that group.

8. A game relating to the production and exhibition of motion picture plays including the combination of a playing board having a series of marked spaces thereon extending around the outer edge of the board and having a central area also having a series of joined spaces marked thereon and extending therethrough, certain of said spaces extending around the edge portion of the board having printed therein instructions which designate moves to be made with respect to the spaces contained inthe central area, and certain of said spaces having printed therein penalties, hazards andy gains to be encountered by a player of the game during the progress thereof,

certain of said spaces contained in said central area having printed therein designations relating to the production of a motion picture play and also certain oi said spaces having printed therein designations which specify goals for. winning the game, a marking disc for designating the moves made by a player on the series of marked spaces extending around the edge of the playing board, a marking disc for designating the moves made by a player on the series of marked spaces contained Iin the central area of the playing board, a set of playing cards divided inta` seven groups and two joker playing cards, each group containing cards having data printed on the faces thereof relating to a particular type of motion picture play, and each card containing a symbol thereon identifying it with its particular group and each card in said set of cards having data printed on the back thereof which indicate a move a player must make with one of said playing discs with respect to the spaces arranged around the outer edge of the playing board.

9. A game including the combination of a playing board having a series of marked spaces thereon which .extend around the outer edge ofthe board and having a central area containing a series of spaces marked thereon, certain of said spaces which extend around the outer edge of the board containing printed data therein which determine moves to be made by a player in the spaces contained in the central area, and certain of said spaces in said central areas having data printed therein designating said spaces as goals for completing said game, a pairof marking discs for designating the moves to be made with respect to the spaces extending around the outer edge of said board and in the central area thereof, and a set of cards which have data printed on the face thereof which relate to different groups of hands that may be completed in playing the game and data printed on the backs thereof which determine moves a player must make with the marking disc with respect to the spaces around the outer edge of the playing board.

10. A game including the combination of a playing board having a series of marked spaces constituting a path extending about the outer edge oi the board and a central area containing a series of consecutive marked spaces therein, said spaces on the outer edge of the board having printed therein instructions as to moves a player may make in the spaces of the central area and also designations of penalties, hazards and gains a player encounters during the course of playing the game, and certain of said spaces in said central area having data printed therein which designate said spaces as goals for completing the playing of the game, marking discs for designating-the moves made by a player oi the game on said playing board.` and a set oi cards divided into a plurality of groups, each group having data printed on the face thereof whieh relate to the subie@ matter of said group, and havingdata printed 0n the backs thereoi which determine the number of'moves a player shouldmake on the marked spaces on the outer edge of the playing board.

f CHARLES S. RAIZEN.

MORTDER WEIBINGER. 

